REDWOOD CITY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2019 / Avinger, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGR), a commercial-stage medical device company marketing the first-ever image-guided, catheter-based system for the diagnosis and treatment of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), today announced the commercial launch of its Lumivascular products in Hong Kong. Avinger has an exclusive distribution agreement with Integmed Ltd. for the sale and marketing of Avinger's Pantheris image-guided atherectomy and Ocelot image-guided chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing systems in Hong Kong. The first shipment of devices has been made under the agreement and training of Integmed's sales and clinical support teams has been completed.

Dr. Yiu Che Chan, a highly-experienced vascular surgeon and a clinical associate professor at The University of Hong Kong, performed the first four cases using Lumivascular technology in Hong Kong at Queen Mary Hospital. Dr. Chan used Ocelot to cross a challenging CTO in one patient and successfully treated lesions in three additional patients with Avinger's Pantheris image-guided atherectomy catheter. Prior to conducting the first cases in Hong Kong, Dr. Chan observed cases and received training from Dr. Arne Schwindt, a vascular surgeon and leading Lumivascular operator, at St. Franziskus Hospital in Münster, Germany.

Following his initial experience with Lumivascular technology, Dr. Chan commented, "I was impressed by how easy Pantheris was to use in my first cases and how efficiently we were able to remove plaque to restore blood flow. The imaging provided by Ocelot and Pantheris enabled me to effectively target the disease, while minimizing vascular injury during treatment, which I believe will lead to better long-term outcomes for my patients."

"We are excited to expand our presence in the Asia Pacific region through our commercial launch in Hong Kong and partnership with Integmed," said Jeff Soinski, Avinger's President and CEO. "We appreciate Dr. Chan's pioneering efforts with Lumivascular technology in Hong Kong and are happy he delivered such positive results for his patients."

Lumivascular technology allows physicians, for the first time ever, to see the inside of the artery during an atherectomy or CTO crossing procedure by using an imaging modality called optical coherence tomography, or OCT, that is displayed on Avinger's proprietary Lightbox console. Physicians performing atherectomy or crossing CTOs with other devices must rely solely on X-ray images, as well as tactile feedback, to guide their interventions while treating complicated arterial disease. With the Lumivascular approach, physicians can more accurately navigate their devices and treat PAD lesions, thanks to the real-time OCT images generated from inside the artery, without exposing healthcare workers and patients to the negative effects of ionizing radiation.

About Avinger, Inc.

Avinger is a commercial-stage medical device company that designs and develops the first-ever image-guided, catheter-based system that diagnoses and treats patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD is estimated to affect over 12 million people in the U.S. and over 200 million worldwide. Avinger is dedicated to radically changing the way vascular disease is treated through its Lumivascular platform, which currently consists of the Lightbox imaging console, the Ocelot family of chronic total occlusion (CTO) catheters, and the Pantheris® family of atherectomy devices. Avinger is based in Redwood City, California. For more information, please visit www.avinger.com.